Big Pete
International Captain
- Mar 12, 2008
- 32,098
- 25,716
What do you guys reckon have been the Best & Worst?
Just a couple of names I wanted to throw out.
Best
Krisnan Inu - His signing really helped the Dogs turn their season around during the mid-season and go on their current unbeaten run of 10 matches. He really turned what was a major weakness into a major strength.
James Graham - Playing off the bench has seen him under the radar or so to speak but there's no doubt to me that he's played a huge part in giving the Dogs that relentless edge they were missing in 2011. To be able to bring him on for a towering Hulk like Kasiano would be just such a huge plus and his work-rate is among the best in the NRL.
Issac De Gois - Pretty much a lot of the 'Moneyball' buys Cronulla made were fantastic but for mine De Gois has been the spark they've been missing since his departure in 08. Didn't think he had it in him after so many injuries at Newcastle but he's really wound the clock back and given the Sharks a boost through that middle third that is helping them win a bunch of arm wrestles.
Worst
Adam Blair - Is being exposed for what he's been since 2010, a lazy bully of a player who's only willing to play when the pressure has eased off. The Tigers have practically been the opposite of Cronulla in terms of buys and on top of their list of bad buys, Blair sits unopposed as one of the biggest disappointments. There is no doubting the potential of Blair, at the back end of 2009 I thought he was the best forward in the game, particularly after a strong effort for the Kiwis against the Kangaroos but he's really put the foot off the gas since then.
Chris Sandow - I recall Eels fan practically lost their s**t when they signed him. I never thought he was really that highly rated outside of Redfern but apparently he was some super halfback talent who couldn't possibly be worse than Robson, except he was. Parra spent 500K+ to sign one of the better improvisational halves to help them play their clinical brand of Rugby League and it just didn't fly. At times, Sandow just didn't seem to want to be there & the smiling energetic enigma we were so used to seeing seemed to be replaced by a miserable lost talent. Since the sacking of Kearney, the old Sandow appears to be returning but it still remains to be seen whether he'll reach the hype that surrounded him in the off-season.
Darius Boyd - With the Bennett & Boyd combination, Newcastle really seemed set to go on the same ride the Dragons enjoyed for much of 2009-2011. However, something somewhere went terribly wrong. Boyd just can't click with his team mates and that was evident against the Bulldogs where the play seemed to stop and then start whenever Boyd received the ball. For a player who played such a big role in the Dragons success it's baffling to see him regress to the point where he's right down there as one of the worst form fullbacks in the game. Like Sandow, there's been some encouraging signs through out the season but as it stands 2012 stands as a huge disappointment not only for Boyd but for Newcastle in general.
I've left off a few names so it'll be interesting to see what you guys make of it.
Just a couple of names I wanted to throw out.
Best
Krisnan Inu - His signing really helped the Dogs turn their season around during the mid-season and go on their current unbeaten run of 10 matches. He really turned what was a major weakness into a major strength.
James Graham - Playing off the bench has seen him under the radar or so to speak but there's no doubt to me that he's played a huge part in giving the Dogs that relentless edge they were missing in 2011. To be able to bring him on for a towering Hulk like Kasiano would be just such a huge plus and his work-rate is among the best in the NRL.
Issac De Gois - Pretty much a lot of the 'Moneyball' buys Cronulla made were fantastic but for mine De Gois has been the spark they've been missing since his departure in 08. Didn't think he had it in him after so many injuries at Newcastle but he's really wound the clock back and given the Sharks a boost through that middle third that is helping them win a bunch of arm wrestles.
Worst
Adam Blair - Is being exposed for what he's been since 2010, a lazy bully of a player who's only willing to play when the pressure has eased off. The Tigers have practically been the opposite of Cronulla in terms of buys and on top of their list of bad buys, Blair sits unopposed as one of the biggest disappointments. There is no doubting the potential of Blair, at the back end of 2009 I thought he was the best forward in the game, particularly after a strong effort for the Kiwis against the Kangaroos but he's really put the foot off the gas since then.
Chris Sandow - I recall Eels fan practically lost their s**t when they signed him. I never thought he was really that highly rated outside of Redfern but apparently he was some super halfback talent who couldn't possibly be worse than Robson, except he was. Parra spent 500K+ to sign one of the better improvisational halves to help them play their clinical brand of Rugby League and it just didn't fly. At times, Sandow just didn't seem to want to be there & the smiling energetic enigma we were so used to seeing seemed to be replaced by a miserable lost talent. Since the sacking of Kearney, the old Sandow appears to be returning but it still remains to be seen whether he'll reach the hype that surrounded him in the off-season.
Darius Boyd - With the Bennett & Boyd combination, Newcastle really seemed set to go on the same ride the Dragons enjoyed for much of 2009-2011. However, something somewhere went terribly wrong. Boyd just can't click with his team mates and that was evident against the Bulldogs where the play seemed to stop and then start whenever Boyd received the ball. For a player who played such a big role in the Dragons success it's baffling to see him regress to the point where he's right down there as one of the worst form fullbacks in the game. Like Sandow, there's been some encouraging signs through out the season but as it stands 2012 stands as a huge disappointment not only for Boyd but for Newcastle in general.
I've left off a few names so it'll be interesting to see what you guys make of it.
